This invention relates generally to second networking connections, such as virtual private networking (VPN) connections, established in addition to first networking connections, such as Internet connections. More particularly, this invention relates to concurrent access to both first and second networking connections.
Many corporate computer users today establish two networking connections when they are away from the office, such as at home, or when traveling. First, they have an Internet networking connection, which allows them to access the Internet for activities such as web browsing. Second, they have a corporate networking connection, which allows them to access the private network of their corporation for activities such as retrieving corporate email and intranet browsing. The Internet connection is usually insecure, which means that, with the proper technology, interlopers can relatively easily monitor and decipher the users' Internet traffic.
Conversely, the corporate networking connection, which may be what is known as a virtual private networking (VPN) connection, is usually secure, which means that interlopers cannot usually decipher the users' corporate network traffic. The corporate networking connection may be made by a direct dial-up connection to the corporate network, sometimes referred to as a remote access server (RAS) connection, or by a secure connection through the Internet connection. The latter approach is often referred to as tunneling. Two common tunneling standards are the point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP), and (IPSEC).
A disadvantage to establishing a corporate networking connection in addition to an Internet connection is that the former connection frequently prevents using the latter connection. For example, a user may have a persistent, or always-on, Internet connection at home through digital subscriber line (DSL) or cable modem technology. With the Internet connection, the user has access to Internet email, and can browse the web. The user may then establish a corporate networking connection either by a direct dial-up connection, or by tunneling through the Internet connection. However, once the corporate networking connection is established, the user may subsequently lose the ability to access Internet email, or browse the web. Although the Internet connection is still there, the user cannot access it in a useful manner.
This either-or situation lessens the convenience of establishing corporate networking connections at home for corporate users. The users typically will establish their corporate networking connections only briefly before disconnecting, so that they can continue to use their Internet connections for Internet email and web browsing. Because establishing and subsequently terminating a corporate networking connection may be somewhat of a hassle for the average corporate user, the user may access the corporate network from home less often than is desirable. As an example, a user may only check corporate email two or three times a day from home, and therefore not receive important messages as timely as he or she would if the corporate networking connection were persistent.
For the reasons described here, as well as for other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.